HMCS SASKATCHEWAN 262

 

Mackenzie Class Destroyer

 

 

 

READY AND CONFIDENT

HMCS SASKATCHEWAN in the North Sea - Oct 1963 - DND/RCN photo

Photo taken by an aircraft from the aircraft carrier HNLMS Karl Dorman

 

Battle honours and awards:  Atlantic 1943-44,   Normandy  1944,   Biscay  1944

 

 

Laid down: 28 Oct 1959

Launched: 01 Feb 1961

Commissioned: 16 Feb 1963

Paid off: 27 May 1985 for DELEX refit

DELEX refit complete: 17 Jun 1986

Re-commissioned: 17 June 1986

Paid off: 01 Apr 1994

Fate: Sunk as an artificial reef on 14 Jun 1997

 

Built by Victoria Machinery Depot and completed by Yarrows at Esquimalt, SASKATCHEWAN was commissioned on 16 Feb 1963, following which, from Jun to Oct 1963, she was based at Halifax. In Oct 1963, BONAVENTURE, ALGONQUIN, CAYUGA, MICMAC and SASKATCHEWAN took part in a NATO exercise in which all participating ships were battered by a severe North Atlantic storm (click here to see the newspaper article). She then returned to the west coast. In 1968 she grounded while transiting Active Pass in fog.  In Feb 1970, she returned to Halifax with the erstwhile crew of KOOTENAY, relieving NIPIGON as flagship of SNFL that summer, but returned to the Pacific in 1973. She was given her DELEX refit at Burrard Yarrow Inc., Esquimalt, between 27 May 1985 and 17 Jun 1986. HMCS SASKATCHEWAN took part in SOPLOY '86 from 25 Aug 1986 till 25 Nov 1986.  During that deployment SASKATCHEWAN was part of a Canadian squadron that visited Australia for the RAN's 75th Anniversary celebrations. Port visits during SOPLOY '86  were: Pearl Harbor 3-6 Sep / 14-17 Nov; Pago Pago, American Samoa 14 Sep & 05 Nov; Suva, Fiji 18-20 Sep; Brisbane, Australia 25-27 Nov; Sydney, Australia 29 Sep-07 Oct; Melbourne, Australia 8-13 Oct; Wellington, New Zealand 22-23 Oct; Gisborne, New Zealand 24-27 Oct and Auckland, New Zealand 28-31 Oct 1986. During the South American Cruise in 1989, SASKATCHEWAN Crossed the Equator on 16 May 1989 and visited the following ports: Acapulco 05 - 09 May, Guayaquil 17 - 22 May, Caldera 27 May - 01 Jun, Puerto Vallarta 07 - 11 Jun, San Diego 16-19 Jun and San Francisco 23-26 Jun 1989. In her final years, SASKATCHEWAN was a member of Training Group Pacific, instructing officer cadets in ship handling, navigation and marine engineering. On 17 Mar 1994, barely six weeks before she was paid off, SASKATCHEWAN lost two crew members, SLt N.P. Schiele and AB S.J. Schreurs, in a diving accident in Shoal Channel, Howe Sound. SASKATCHEWAN was paid off on 01 Apr 1994, purchased by the Artificial Reef Society of B.C. and sunk on 14 Jun 1997, near Nanaimo.

 

 

Photos and Documents          Ship's company photos          The Ship's Bell

 

 

Commissioning Book          Reactivation Booket - 1986

 

Crossing the Line (Equator) - c1968-70 (Cdr Rusk as CO)

 

Crossing the Line (Equator) - Ex SAMPLOY 1983

 

Crossing the Line (Equator) - Ex SOPLOY 1986

 

 

RCN Memories:     Port 10     The Great Rum Robbery

 

 

Commanding Officers

 

Cdr Mark William Mayo, RCN - 16 Feb 1963 - 18 Dec 1964

Cdr Maurice Aikins Turner, RCN - 18 Dec 1964 - 07 Mar 1966

Cdr P.J. Traves, RCN - 07 Mar 1966 - 15 Jul 1967

Cdr Norman Shuttleworth Jackson, RCN - 15 Jul 1967 - 23 Sep 1968

Cdr Harry Rusk, RCN - 23 Sep 1968 - 15 Jan 1970

Cdr Neil St. Clair Norton - 15 Jan 1970 - 09 Mar 1971

LCdr Alexander Bajkov - 09 Mar 1971 - 02 Apr 1971

Cdr Robert Frederick Gladman - 02 Apr 1971 - 06 Jul 1972

Cdr Trevor Stephen Hayward - 06 Jul 1972 - 09 Apr 1973

LCdr Harold Lindsay Davies - 09 Apr 1973 - 31 Jul 1973

Cdr John Harwood - 31 Jul 1973 - 24 May 1974

Cdr Joseph Guy Comeau - 24 May 1974 - 01 Sep 1976

Cdr F. Hope - 01 Sep 1976 - 03 Aug 1978

Cdr Henry Timoty Porter - 03 Aug 1978 - 03 Jul 1980

Cdr James Douglas Sine - 03 Jul 1980 - 05 Aug 1982

Cdr Gareth John Eldridge - 18 Aug 1982 - 25 Jun 1984

Cdr D.R.A. McLean - 25 Jun 1984 - 15 Jun 1985

Cdr Stanley Frederick Verran - 15 Jun 1985 - 25 Jul 1988

Cdr Dave V. Adamthwaite - 25 Jul 1988 - 15 Aug 1990 

Cdr S.E. King - 15 Aug 1090 - 21 Jul 1992

Cdr N.R. Sorsdahl - 21 Jul 1992 - 01 Apr 1994

 

 

Captain for the day

 

Captain for the day is a tradition in the RCN where during the ship's Christmas celebrations, the Commanding Officer changes places with the youngest member of the ship's company.

 

Daniel Watson, OSRP - 1976

 

 

     In memory of those who made the ultimate sacrifice    

     Lest We Forget     

 

SCHIELE, Nicole P.

A/SLt, C.A.F. (Navy)

died - 17 Feb 1994

SCHREURS, Sandy J.

AB, C.A.F. (Navy)

died - 17 Feb 1994

 

 

     In memory of those who have crossed the bar    

They shall not be forgotten

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Former Crew Members

 

Abraham, John M., LS.ER / Ship's Diver   

 

Adamthwaite, Dave V., Lt (N), OpsO, WpnsO, TrgO - 1974-1976 /  LCdr, XO - 1982-1984 

 

Ashton, Cliff J.

 

Baldwin, David E., ER - 1981

 

Bauer, Wilfred A. (Wilf), Radar Plotter

 

Beaumier, Francois, Petty Officer 2nd Class Naval Electronics Technician (Tactical)

 

Becevel, Michael, Radioman

 

Biccum, Terry

 

Cavan, Mike, MS.BN

 

Crawford, Al

 

Dorie, Blaine W., Supply Technician

Duhamel, Alfe, Leading Seaman Signalman

 

Elsford, Jack, LS.BN

 

Falk, Alan David, AB, RCN - 1967

 

Girouard, Mike - early 80s

 

Hardie, Glen, LCdr, XO - 1990

 

Hoermann, Jeffrey G., Cpl, Cook - 1987-1991

 

Hughes, Cyril - Commissioning crew

 

Johnston, R.J., OS.WS - May 77 - 18 Dec 77

 

Kloosterman, Jim

 

Kirouac, Peter - 1974

 

La Fave, John 33169-H, Commissioning crew

 

LeClair, Richard, PO2/PO1 - 1984 - 1985

 

Lefebvre, Pierre, OS.CK - 1982 - 1984

Lynch, Willis (Willie), LS.BN - 1971-1974

 

MacLeod, Mitchell, Officer trainee - summer 1979

 

McFarland, Doug - 1978-1980

 

McFee, Tom, LS.BN

 

Owens, John

 

Pinnell, Terry, Lt - Jun 1981 - Jun 1982

 

Preston, Douglas, AB.ER - 1963 - 1965, Commissioning crew

 

Rideout, Brian, RCSC - Far East cruise - Feb - May 1965

 

Robertson, Gary, AB.EM, RCN - 1964-1966

 

Tanner, Joe, Cook, RCN

 

Turner, Les

 

Wade, Eric, LS.ST - 1974

 

Watson, Daniel, RP - 1976-1979

 

 

Photos and Documents

 

     

 

The launching of HMCS SASKATCHEWAN 262 on 01 Feb 1961

Courtesy of Greg Volkman

 

 

Six days after their new ship was commissioned, officers and men of HMCS SASKATCHEWAN were inspected by Rear-Admiral W. M. Landymore, Flag Officer Pacific Coast.

Source:: CROWSNEST Magazine, Vol 15, No. 3 March 1963

 

 

The SASKATCHEWAN Blues

 

A poetic memento of the 16 Apr - 29 Nov 1963 deployment

 

              

 

Courtesy of Cyril Hughes

 

 

HMCS SASKATCHEWAN 262 - undated

 

From the collection of Sid Dobing

 

Courtesy of Brian Dobing

HMCS SASKATCHEWAN 262 - undated

 

RCN Photo

 

  

HMCS SASKATCHEWAN 262 - undated

RCN photos

 

Certificate for Maple Spring 1967 for AB A. Falk, HMCS SASKATCHEWAN

 

Courtesy of Alan Falk

"Black Thursday"

 

Routine Orders - HMCS SASKATCHEWAN 262 - 01 Feb 1968

 

Courtesy of Fred Schatz

Myself (Nobby Clark) - an 18 year old O.D. Stoker (50 years ago) - in HMCS SASKATCHEWAN, about half way through our far east cruise1968 standing beside my bunk in 3 Mess, long before conversion. The Stokers mess, which was 12 mess in those days, was chock a block so a few of us were stuck in 3 mess.  This photo was shot minutes before boarding a bus to go up Victoria Mountain in Hong Kong to Sai Wan Military Cemetery where our military dead are interred.  These soldiers were butchered by the Japanese at Christmas, 1941 - many of our soldiers were murdered in their hospital beds. Our purpose at the cemetery was to mount an honour guard (of which I was a part of) - for a memorial service for our fallen warriors. This was a very moving experience for a kid of my age. None of us must ever forget the soldiers who sacrificed their lives for Canada throughout ALL of our wars! I know that I won't forget!

 

Courtesy of Nobby Clark

CPO Lower, Cox'n, HMCS SASKATCHEWAN

 

Crossed the Bar: 10 Sep 2009

 

Courtesy of Richard Whaley

HMCS SASKATCHEWAN 262 - undated

 

RCN photo

HMCS SASKATCHEWAN 262 taken from HMCS ANNAPOLIS 265

 

Courtesy of Art Fallas

Raymond S. Good and shipmate

Courtesy of Lorraine Casey

HMCS SASKATCHEWAN in the North Sea.  Photo taken by an aircraft from the carrier HNLMS Karl Dorman in 1963

 

Courtesy of Dave Stephens

 

HMCS SASKATCHEWAN 262 - 31 Mar 1972

 

Ceremonial issue of last tot:

 

(top photo) PO2 Robert (Bob) Christie, CPO1 John Charles (Fred) Pegley, SLt May and PO1 Doug Walters

 

Courtesy of Patti Christie

 

(bottom photo) PO2 Robert (Bob) Christie, Tom (Ace) Atkins, ABBN, Executive Officer LCdr E. J. Mike Young, and PO1 Doug Walters

 

Courtesy of Brian Lapierre

HMCS SASKATCHEWAN firing a mortor, May 82 West Coast VI W601

In the first photo you can see the mortar bomb just above the port yardarm.

Courtesy of Dennis McMillan

Radar Plotters on HMCS SASKATCHEWAN 1983

Courtesy of Bernie Quigley

HMCS SASKATCHEWAN 262 in San Diego, California during a training cruise - circa 1989

 

Courtesy of Hugh Muir

HMCS SASKATCHEWAN 262 - Oct 1991 with Special Sea Duty Men closed up ready to come alongside Sydney, Australia

 

Courtesy of Eric Kahler, Director, Naval Museum of Alberta

Welcome Aboard

 

Paying off Cruise - HMCS SASKATCHEWAN 262

 

     

 

Courtesy of Cyril Hughes

 

 

 

AD01

AD02

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AD04

(AD01) The Good Ol Days - Tot Time With Wingers on HMCS SASKATCHEWAN 262 - Alfe, Win, Reg King, John Owens, Al Crawford, Bill Nairne and two American sailors (one on front right and the other on the rear left) trying out the rum (AD02) The Good Ol Days - Tot Time With Wingers on HMCS SASKATCHEWAN 262 (AD03) Jayne Mansfield on board HMCS SASKATCHEWAN Oct 1966 - Alfe Duhamel in white siglet holding a coffee (background, 2nd from right) (AD04) PM Lester B. Pearson on the bridge of HMCS SASKATCHEWAN  (AD05) OS.CV Alfe Duhamel sending flashing light on HMCS SUSSEXVALE at anchor off Mexico circa 1959-1960

 

Courtesy of Alfe Duhamel, C2SG, RCN / C.A.F.

 

 

The former HMCS SASKATCHEWAN being sunk as an artificial reef off Nanaimo BC 14 Jun 1997

 

   

 

 

 

Source: Artificial Reef Society of British Columbia

 

 

GB-SKN-002

GB-SKN-003

GB-SKN-004

GB-SKN-005

(GB-SKN-002 - GB-SKN-005) The former HMCS SASKATCHEWAN being sunk as an artificial reef

From the collection of Gordon Arnold (Art) Broster

Courtesy of Cathy Robinson

 

 

20 Jul 2019 - The ashes of ABNS Tom Nyberg, ABEM Tom Anderson and ABRP Greg (Kipper) Hewitt - all members of HMCS SASKATCHEWAN'S commissioning crew - are laid to rest on the former HMCS SASKATCHEWAN which was sunk in 1997 as an artificial reef off Snake Island, near Nanaimo, BC.  RCN divers Doug, Rob and Allen placed the ashes on the wreck, with Jay Straith, former ARSBC president, who transported the divers to the wreck site and took photos. 

 

 

Article on the reunion of HMCS SASKATCHEWAN crew members at Nanaimo, BC on 17 Jun 2013

Click on the above photo to read the full article

 

     

HMCS SASKATCHEWAN 2023 Reunion photos

 

 

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